American forces reinforce presence in Kuwait

The arrival of American forces continues to Kuwait where these forces are positioned in camps deployed in the desert and intensified training at the border lines with Iraq.

American military sources said that the number of American soldiers increased from 12,000 to 15,000 within one month and these soldiers are equipped with 24 Apache planes and fighting tanks and armored vehicles.

The American army is having training day and night and the journalists are permitted to enter certain camps like al-Dere' camp to the north west of the capital where exercises are conducted with live ammunition.

Number of American bases has been greatly increased in the desert to the North of Kuwait and were given names like "Virginia; New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey" and Commando camp which includes elite units.

Al- Doha great camp, where the American forces are deployed, 30 Km to the North of the capital Kuwait is considered the most important and oldest, and it includes thousands of soldiers and equipment including artillery pieces and tanks.

The general headquarters of the third American army, which supervises north Africa and the Middle East and central Asia was transferred to Kuwait in 2001 before the US launched its war in Afghanistan.

American and Kuwaiti officials deny any link between the military reinforcements and Washington's preparations for war against Iraq.

Kuwait, who is at the forefront in case a strike will be directed against Kuwait, denied that these American forces has increased three folds in less than one year. Kuwaiti officials confined to saying that these soldiers came to the country to conduct joint military maneuvers.

Officially, Kuwait stresses it opposes any American military action against its neighbor in the North ( Iraq) without a decision from the UN.

Kuwait and the US are organizing joint maneuvers according to the defense agreements signed following the Gulf war in 19991. However, the American military redeployment is a strong message to Iraq in which Washington express its desire to move in due time.

The Kuwaitis do not hide their desire to topple the Saddam Hussein regime while the great majority of the Kuwaitis find in the presence of the American forces on their territories a guarantee against any likely attack against Iraq.